East Notes: Beato, Ibanez, Emaus, Hulett
Here are some items of note and musings coming out of the East divisions as Phillies interim closer Jose Contreras hits the DL …
- Mets reliever Pedro Beato, a Rule 5 draftee this offseason, is pitching well, writes Thomas Boorstein of MLB.com. "I've been impressed ever since he walked into camp," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Earlier this week, the Mets returned second baseman Brad Emaus – their other Rule 5 pick – to the Blue Jays, who flipped him in turn to the Rockies, but it looks like Beato has a good shot of sticking with the Mets throughout the season.
- Phillies outfielder Raul Ibanez is struggling, as is Philly's lineup on the whole, and David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News wonders how long the Phils will continue to start Ibanez. Should the Phils choose to divvy up starts between John Mayberry Jr., Ben Francisco and Domonic Brown, it would be interesting to see whether they would look into trading the 39-year-old. Ibanez is past his prime, sure, but he posted a triple-slash of .272/.347/.552 as recently as two years ago, and his contract expires at season's end, so he could draw interest at a cheap price. However, he does have no-trade protection.
- The Blue Jays will place second baseman Aaron Hill on the DL, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. We'll never know the answer, but I wonder whether the Jays would have held onto Emaus to fill in briefly with Hill, Jayson Nix, and Edwin Encarnacion being banged up. Of course, it seems pretty clear that the Jays had made the decision that Emaus didn't factor into their plans, but they are stretched thin now, as John McDonald and Mike McCoy started at third and second base, respectively, on Sunday.
- The Nationals signed infielder Tug Hulett to a minor league contract, according to NBC Sports. Hulett last appeared in the big leagues with the Royals in 2009. He was with the Rockies earlier this season but was let go after Colorado acquired Emaus.
Potential Offense Targets For The Phillies
One common question in yesterday's chat was which bats the Phillies could acquire this summer. The Phillies rank fifth in the NL with 4.88 runs per game so far, and trading season is two months away, so it's not time to sound the alarm yet. But here are a few potential targets anyway.
There's still no timetable for Chase Utley to return, so the Phillies could consider adding an offensive-minded second baseman. Availability of these players will depend on the standings. If the Phillies seek all-around offense they could try for Arizona's Kelly Johnson or San Francisco's Mark DeRosa. Aaron Hill and Jose Lopez can provide power, while Marco Scutaro, Jeff Keppinger, and Omar Infante are more OBP-focused.
Rather than bring in a $5.85MM second baseman like Johnson, the Phillies seem more likely to add a corner outfielder. Domonic Brown could help out in right field. He could start a rehab assignment soon after breaking his hand in March. The Phillies should have a good idea of whether Brown can be an offensive asset by mid-July.
It's tough to assess the available outfielders in April, before teams reveal their true selves. Carlos Beltran, Jason Kubel, Luke Scott, Juan Pierre, Carlos Quentin, Hunter Pence, Carlos Lee, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, Garrett Jones, Ryan Ludwick, Brad Hawpe, Josh Willingham, David DeJesus, Juan Rivera, Jack Cust, Jeff Francoeur, Xavier Nady, Angel Pagan, Kosuke Fukudome, and Marlon Byrd are players I can picture being dealt under certain circumstances. Some are more likely than others – I'm not banking on Kemp being dealt. If the Phillies aim for switch-hitters or right-handed bats, this list is cut to Beltran, Quentin, Pence, Lee, Kemp, Ludwick, Willingham, Rivera, Francoeur, Nady, Pagan, and Byrd.
There are also financial concerns. Incumbent left fielder Raul Ibanez earns $11.5MM this year, and his is not a contract anyone is taking off the Phillies' hands. Some of the above-named players aren't even clear upgrades over Ibanez. We're unsure how much payroll flexibility the Phillies have, and most of the players I named are earning more than $5MM this year. They could unload a different contract, with Joe Blanton the most popular choice. But Blanton is only tradeable if he's pitching reasonably well, and in that case moving him downgrades the Phillies' rotation and might set them back as much as an outfield acquisition would set them forward.
It wouldn't be hard for the Phillies to add a complementary piece like Keppinger or Francoeur. Otherwise, the best chance at an improved offense will probably come from a healthy Utley and production from Brown, Ibanez, or Jimmy Rollins.
Brian Schlitter Returned To Cubs
The commissioner's office returned Phillies right-hander Brian Schlitter to the Cubs because of past injury, according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (on Twitter). The Phillies claimed Schlitter from the Yankees in February, a month after the Yankees claimed him from the Cubs, but those claims are now void.
The Phillies placed Schlitter on the disabled list with a right flexor pronator strain at the end of Spring Training, retroactive to March 22nd. He has yet to appear in a pro game this year.
Schlitter appeared in seven games for the Cubs last year and gave up 18 hits and five walks in eight innings, striking out seven. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Iowa, where he posted a 3.15 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 45 2/3 innings in his first season at the highest level of the minors.
Quick Hits: Feliciano, Twins, Rendon, Oswalt
Links for Wednesday, after a walk-off win for Brandon Inge and the Tigers…
- Yankees manager Joe Girardi says Pedro Feliciano has a "damaged shoulder" according to Ben Shpigel of the New York Times (on Twitter). It sounds like surgery is a possibility for the Yankees' $8MM investment.
- Tsuyoshi Nishioka’s leg injury weakened the Twins' middle infield, which means they may look for infield help, rather than relievers in potential deals, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Trade candidate Kevin Slowey hasn’t pitched in a game since April 4th because of bursitis in his right shoulder, but he could become available again this season.
- Anthony Rendon nudged out Gerrit Cole for top spot on Baseball America’s updated list of top draft eligible players.
- The Yankees were frustrated that the Astros never made them fully aware that Roy Oswalt was available last summer, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Credit Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. for acquiring Oswalt quietly and later denying the Yankees their primary offseason target, Cliff Lee.
Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League Signings
- Cliff Lee, SP: five years, $120MM. Includes $27.5MM vesting option for 2016 with a $12.5MM buyout.
- Jose Contreras, RP: two years, $5.5MM. Includes $2.5MM club option for 2013 with a $500K buyout.
- J.C. Romero, RP: one year, $1.35MM.
- Total spend: $126.85MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Trades and Claims
- Claimed IF/OF Michael Martinez from Nationals in Rule 5 draft
- Acquired 2B Albert Cartwright from Astros for RP Sergio Escalona
- Claimed RP Brian Schlitter off waivers from Yankees
Notable Losses
Summary
The Phillies pulled off the surprise of the offseason, righting a past wrong and adding Cliff Lee to an already-strong rotation. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. stretched his payroll to accommodate Lee, so the signing sums up most of the team's offseason. Given all of their recent success, the Phillies extended Amaro in March, just after he'd extended manager Charlie Manuel.
The Phillies made an attempt to re-sign Werth, reportedly offering three years and $48MM plus a vesting option. With Werth ultimately landing a seven-year, $126MM deal, the Phillies' offer appears half-hearted. Still, plenty of people pegged Werth for something like four years and $65MM heading into the offseason, and with that in mind the player's biggest concession to the Phillies would have been accepting a fourth-year vesting option.
No one predicted the Phillies would sign Lee, and reports of a Mystery Team in the mix in December were initially scoffed at. Technically Lee left a guaranteed $28MM on the table to sign with his preferred team, though this wasn't Andre Dawson giving the Cubs a blank check. Lee's $24MM a year salary is higher than it would have been had he taken a seven-year offer from the Yankees or six years from the Rangers, and it's a record for pitchers.
The Phillies checked the "bill me later" box on the Lee contract, designing it to pay him only $11MM in 2011 before his salary jumps past $20MM thereafter. They also potentially left the biggest bill for 2016, the lefty's age 37 season. A $27.5MM option for 2016 vests if Lee is not on the disabled list at end of 2015 season with injury to left elbow or left shoulder, and has 200 innings pitched in 2015 or 400 innings pitched in 2014-15. If the option does not vest, the Phillies will presumably take the buyout, which at $12.5MM is the biggest I've even seen. Hopefully those numbers won't look as scary entering the 2016 season.
Prior to the Lee deal, the Phillies re-signed Contreras to a two-year deal. Even at his age the contract doesn't look bad now, in light of the ten eight-figure contracts given to free agent relievers later in the offseason.
The Phillies appear light at second base, right field, and the bullpen this point, though the injuries to Chase Utley, Domonic Brown, and Brad Lidge didn't happen until Spring Training. I don't see much Amaro should have done differently during the offseason. Adding a Jerry Hairston Jr. or Willie Bloomquist just to be safe wouldn't have made much difference. Perhaps Amaro could've dabbled a little on the low end of the relief market, nabbing a Jon Rauch, Dan Wheeler, or Chad Qualls in the $3MM range. I liked that Amaro held onto Joe Blanton rather than doing some kind of salary dump deal.
Amaro put all his eggs in the Cliff Lee basket this offseason, and it's hard to find fault with that. The Phillies' rotation appears historically good. It's possible all the big salaries will limit flexibility this year and in the near future, though Amaro always seems to find a few million bucks in the couch cushions when needed.
Photo courtesy of Icon SMI.
Pedro Martinez Looking To Return
Free-agent pitcher Pedro Martinez is waiting for a call to help a team win a World Series, writes Joe Brescia of the New York Times. The 39-year-old says that he could get himself into playing shape rather quickly.
"I’m in shape right now and I’m training and I’m playing catch, so getting to full strength would probably take me a month, month and a half, to be on a mound," said the eight-time All-Star.
Martnez was asked if he would choose the Yankees, BoSox, or Phillies if all three teams called and offered the same salary. The vet said that he would probably choose Boston, so that he could retire and enter the Hall of Fame with the same hat. He would consider the Phillies though as he would like to win a championship in the National League.
The right-hander last pitched in 2009 for the Phillies, posting a 3.63 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.6 BB/9 in nine starts.
Quick Hits: Zito, Orioles, Meyer, Cardinals
Links for Sunday, as Nelson Cruz and Ian Kinsler become the first set of teammates in MLB history to homer in each of their team's first three games…
- Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) knows that the point has been made before, but he finds it unfathomable that the Giants thought it smart to give $126MM to Barry Zito.
- The Orioles released minor league outfielder Danny Figueroa, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
- The Phillies have released Dan Meyer from their minor league camp, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.
- Within his Sunday Baseball Notes, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that the Rangers "haven't closed the door" on a Michael Young trade. Cafardo says not to rule out the Phillies, though the Phils are a little more optimistic about Chase Utley's health than they were a couple weeks ago.
- Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. says his club has room to add payroll this season "if the right situation develops," according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
- WEEI.com's Alex Speier discusses former first round pick Jason Place, who the Red Sox released yesterday.
- In an article for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Terry Pluto takes a look at the Indians' future infield.
Phillies Release Matt Anderson
The Phillies have released Matt Anderson from minor league camp, reports Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com (on Twitter). The right-hander joined Philadelphia on a minor league contract in January.
Anderson, 34, hasn't played in the big leagues since 2005. He was the first overall pick of the 1997 draft, signing for $2.5MM. His best year came with the Tigers (the team that drafted him) in 2001, when he saved 22 games with a 4.82 ERA in 56 innings. Anderson hasn't played in affiliated ball since 2008, and the old story is that he wrecked his pitching shoulder in May 2002 during a pre-game octopus-tossing promotion at a Detroit Red Wings' game. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick spoke to Anderson recently and got to the bottom of the incident and his injuries.
Phillies Sign Ronnie Belliard
The Phillies have signed infielder Ronnie Belliard to a minor league contract, tweets Todd Zolecki of MLB.com.
Belliard, released by the Yankees on Monday, will report to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to Zolecki. Presumably, the move was made for injury insurance at the infield positions, where the Phils are thin between second baseman Chase Utley being shelved and third baseman Placido Polanco coming off offseason elbow surgery.
Yesterday, the Phillies released Luis Castillo, eliminating him from contention for the second-base gig. So, it looks like the Phils will go with Wilson Valdez as the starter there for now.
Belliard, 35, hit .216/.295/.327 in 185 plate appearances for the Dodgers last year, playing first, second and third.
Phillies Release Luis Castillo
The Phillies released second baseman Luis Castillo, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. It was a brief trial for Castillo, who was picked up nine days ago after the Mets released him on March 18th. All along, the understanding was that Castillo would make the Phillies out of Spring Training or be released.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is dealing with chronic knee pain, and hasn't offered a timetable aside from saying he aims to be back before the All-Star break. GM Ruben Amaro Jr. currently isn't thinking about putting Utley on the 60-day DL. While he's out, the Phillies will apparently go with Wilson Valdez and some combination of Michael Martinez, Pete Orr, and Delwyn Young. The Phillies opened a spot on the 40-man roster yesterday by outrighting Matt Rizzotti, which according to Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer means a spot is open for either Young or Mike Stutes (Twitter link).